Limited Staffing Making Boys and Girls Clubs Turn Away Kids

PERMIAN BASIN - The Boys and Girls Clubs of Midland and Odessa don't want to turn a single needy child away.

Unfortunately, with the boom of the Basin economy bringing in a rush of new needy children, they've been forced to do just that.

"Last summer, 100 kids didn't get to come to the club and for two reasons. One, we didn't have enough staffing, and the second one, the heat in the middle of July," David Chancellor, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Midland and Odessa, said.

Their air conditioning has been breaking down and they have such as small staff to keep up with the kids. They can't take anymore in.

Now, they're trying to give the clubs some much needed facelifts so they can expand their services.

Renovating the club's kitchens is one way they're trying to expand their services but they're also looking to add buses, add more staff members and replace their air conditioning. The only way they're going to do that is through donations.

Fixing up the kitchens will bring more food for the kids but the clubs also want to be able to transport them more easily.

"We really are looking for two buses but they're about $40,000 each," Chancellor said.

Even simple donations to help the clubs would hire a handful of new staff. It would help them earn back the kids they had to turn away last year.

Even with just three new staff members, Chancellor said he could take 100 kids into the clubs.

The clubs need every donation the community can give so they don't have to turn anyone else away.

"We had to turn away 100 needy kids," Chancellor said. "I mean, there were parents, one literally cried in my office needing help. It's that kind of need in the summer."

Donations can be mailed to the Midland Boys and Girls Club at:P.O. Box 284Midland, TX 79702

The Midland club's phone number is (432) 683-0050.

Donations for the Odessa Boys and Girls Club can be brought to:800 East 13th StreetOdessa, TX

Their phone number is (432) 337-8389.

If you wish to make a donation to specific needs in the clubs, you can specify what you want the money to go toward and it will go to that fund.